Do not play Bingo with social media

My previous post was meant to transfer the world of online media to an example that is more easy to relate to. It was meant to show the difficulty of coping with social media. The online world of meeting places that is rapidly growing, just like the number of bars in the growing town.

Therefore the image above, representing some major social media platforms, is not a bingo card for entrepreneurs. It’s simply not true that you will win the prize once you can add all these platforms to your list. Instead, listen to the number 1 tip from the “pros” on socialexaminer.com. Pick your battles and dig in.

Remember there are even more platforms than the ones in the picture and imagine “Entrepreneur” from the previous story who struggles to have a proper conversation in all the bars he tries to visit. Instead, organize your own party and select the platform most relevant to you. Invite people to this platform, if they are interested they will follow you. If they are not interested, evaluate whether they are worth your time. Only if the answer is yes and you know there is more to lose you can consider the option of using another platform actively.

There is no key to what platform to use. Think logically and evaluate your own behaviour on such platforms. Right now I see LinkedIN as a professional network event, while Facebook is obviously the bar I go to with friends. Different behaviours and different discussions. If you like a first heads up on a way to choose platforms, quickly read this post on sproutsocial.com. Although the article is, in my point of view, a little oversimplistic, it does give you a good overview on the reasons why to pick the obvious choices. Additionally it indicates some niche networks, which can be very valuable to your specific business and worth your consideration.